Chapter 1191 The Final Battle (1)
The decision to launch a decisive battle against the ground forces of the joint forces was not only Rashid's decision, but also Saddam's, or the Iraqi army's overall decision.
At this point in the war, Iraq has already understood that if it just relies on consumption, the joint forces with air superiority will inevitably not be the opponent of the joint forces after consuming Iraq's air defense weapons.
The gap between the two sides is not the gap in weapons and equipment, but the gap in the entire system.
Although Iraq's weapons are also very advanced, they are not systematic, and weapons, equipment and ammunition must be purchased.
More importantly, whether in training or combat, Iraq is actually unable to play the advantages of advanced weapons and equipment.
No matter how advanced the weapons and equipment are, they are just equipment, and the equipment is used and operated by people. The performance of weapons and equipment is the ceiling, but the people who use them determine how much combat effectiveness they can play.
The more advanced the weapons, the more attention is paid to the overall quality of the army, because the higher the education level is required to play the performance of the weapons and equipment.
In addition, there is a gap in the command system. There is no doubt that the command system of the Iraqi army is far from the joint forces system, or the command system of the US military.
The mercenaries actually had the right to say Rashid, because although Iraq seemed to be far superior to the coalition forces in terms of ground forces, Rashid, the commander of the northern theater of Iraq, or other generals, were not qualified to command such a large-scale battle.
The coalition forces had more than one million ground forces, but only more than 300,000 in Iraq, because the area was small and could not accommodate so many people.
However, by breaking through the defense line and controlling Mount Kumchat and Mount Fishchapur, the coalition forces ground forces could continuously enter Iraq and support the front line.
Moreover, Iraq now had air defense weapons and air forces, but the coalition forces still had an absolute advantage in the air force. If the coalition forces were ruthless, it would not take long for these air defense weapons and air forces to be consumed.
However, Iraq decided to take a gamble and block the air advantage of the coalition forces while it had air defense weapons and air forces, and then use the advantages of ground forces to defeat the ground forces of the coalition forces and drive the ground forces of the coalition forces out of Iraq.
As long as the two key points of Kumqat Mountain and Fishqabur Mountain are recaptured and the defense line is rebuilt, the war can be ended.
After all, the joint forces paid a heavy price and suffered heavy casualties in the previous Kumqat Mountain and Fishqabur Mountain offensive and defensive battles.
Moreover, in order to continue to fight after the air defense weapons and air force are exhausted, and thus defeat the joint forces, Iraq decided to ignite some oil fields in the north!
Ignite the oil fields, billowing smoke, and the air force of the joint forces will not work!
It has to be said that the cruelty of war is like this. In order to win the war, no matter what means are used.
After all, if Iraq loses the war, Iraq will have nothing!
The hot weather was very hot at 9 o'clock in the morning.
However, in the northern theater of Iraq, as Iraq launched an offensive, the war was reignited.
Although it was very hot, the sun shining on the tanks and armored vehicles was enough to roast the soldiers inside, but Iraq used the Type 80 main battle tank, Type 80 self-propelled artillery, Type 81 medium tank, Type 81 light tank and other armored vehicles.
These new equipment are equipped with refrigeration systems and do not affect combat.
This is Rashid's strategy. When it is hot during the day, these new weapons are used, and when it is not hot, the Type 59 main battle tank, Type 59 modified main battle tank and Soviet tanks and armored vehicles are used.
The joint forces have no refrigeration system for tanks and armored vehicles.
Because the refrigeration system consumes electricity and increases infrared characteristics, making it easy to become a target.
But in the midsummer of the desert, tanks and armored vehicles have no refrigeration system, which is fatal. People will be steamed in tanks and armored vehicles, let alone fighting.
Once the war started, when the joint forces air force could not gain air superiority, the joint forces' defense line was shaky.
When it was noon, the hottest time, when the temperature soared to 44℃, it seemed to be the last straw that broke the camel's back.
The defense line of the ground forces of the joint forces was actually breached.
The high temperature had already caused many soldiers of the joint forces to suffer from heatstroke. They had heatstroke even without fighting. In this battle, many people suffered from heatstroke.
This tank and armored battle between the two sides, which can be regarded as the largest-scale battle since World War II, ended with the victory of the powerful joint forces.
The news that the defense line of the ground forces of the joint forces was breached quickly spread all over the world, and the whole world was shocked!
Before this, military experts all over the world generally believed that when the war on the Iraqi battlefield was reignited, facing the sharp attack of the joint forces, Iraq would be defeated with great force.
But this scene now was beyond everyone's expectations.
After breaking through the defense line, the Iraqi forces did not choose to stop, but chose to continue fighting, to drive the joint forces out of Iraqi territory in one go.
But the joint forces are not vegetarians either. Individual anti-tank missiles, anti-tank guns, and anti-tank mines also killed and destroyed Iraq's tanks and armored forces in large numbers.
The anti-tank mines temporarily deployed by the joint forces slowed down the progress of Iraq's tanks and armored forces.
By the time night fell, Iraq's tank and armored forces had already replaced their tanks with Type 59 tanks, modified Type 59 main battle tanks and Soviet-made tanks and armored vehicles.
Even in the dark, the two sides were engaged in a tank-armor battle.
With the weapons and equipment now available, night battles are completely possible.
Tanks and armored vehicles were constantly destroyed on both sides!
During the day, Iraq had the advantage, but at night, the coalition had the advantage.
Because the joint force has air force and helicopters, the advantage is further expanded.
Even if Iraq's air defense forces provide air defense, even anti-aircraft missiles cannot guarantee a 100% hit.
"Boom~~"
A T62 main battle tank was hit by a shot from a Leopard 2 tank and was destroyed.
Leopard 2 tanks move positions.
As one of the top three main battle tanks in the world, the Leopard 2 tank is a very excellent tank.
Up to now, the Leopard 2 tank has been continuously improved and has formed the Leopard 2A1, Leopard 2A2, Leopard 2A3, Leopard 2A4, Leopard 2A5, and Leopard 2A6. The total production volume of various types of Leopard 2 tanks has exceeded 5,000.
Among them, the German army is equipped with 3,000 Leopard 2 tanks, and others such as the Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, and Canada are equipped with 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks.
For example, Canada originally did not have Leopard 2 tanks. For the war in Afghanistan, Canada purchased 30 Leopard 2 tanks. For the Iraq War, Canada purchased 80 Leopard 2 tanks.
As for Turkey, in the Turkey-Iraq conflict that year, faced with Iraq's main battle tank advantage, Turkey began to purchase Leopard 2A4. Coupled with the increased purchases of the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War, Turkey now has 298 Leopard 2 main battle tanks. (End of chapter)